A method for controlling a cooking device

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to a method to control a cooking device, wherein the cooking device comprises a control unit to perform a task on the cooking device by executing control commands, a communication unit, to wirelessly connect to an external device to establish a communication between the external device and the control unit, wherein the external device is able to send control commands to the control unit of the cooking device. It is provided, according to the present invention, for a user to send control commands from the external device only after the user activated a mode on the cooking device to allow the receiving of an external control command, wherein said mode is deactivated after receiving the external control command, and that said mode is deactivated without receiving the external control command if a time limit passes, or by an interaction of the user on a user interface of the cooking device.

A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A COOKING DEVICE

The present invention refers to a method to control a cooking device such as an oven, hob, toaster, or microwave oven, said cooking device comprising a control unit designed to perform a task on the cooking device by executing control commands, and a communication unit, to wirelessly connect the control unit to an external device establishing a communication between them, said external device may be a mobile phone, tablet, voice command processing device, TV, or a similar device.

The control of a cooking device via a connected external device is known. Problems evolve for cooking device, where the control can lead to a dangerous situation in case of wrong inputs. This, mainly, refers to cooking device where the cooking area is not enclosed, as it is the case for cooking hobs. Therefore, the user is required to attend the cooking process and check the correct performed cooking tasks. The method described in this invention offers the user to send control commands via an external device to a cooking device, while ensuring, that the user is attending the cooking process.

The method according to this invention, to ensure the presence of the user and therefore his attendance to the cooking device, such as a cooking hob, while operating a cooking hob via a connected external device, requires the cooking hob to be set manually by the user into a specific mode, which allows the external device to send control commands via the communication unit to the control unit of the cooking hob. Because the user could walk away from the cooking hob after he activated the specific mode, the time, in which the mode is active, is limited, preferably to a short time, preferably 20 sec or shorter. In addition, the user can deactivate the specific mode on the cooking hob via user interface at any time, possibly any interaction on the user interface will deactivate the specific mode. In a further embodiment the specific mode is also deactivated, if the connection between mobile device and communication device is terminated, preferably already if the connection signal is getting weak compared to a previous signal strength, which can result from the user is moving away with the mobile device from the cooking hob. In any case the specific mode is deactivated, after a control command was received in order to reduce further unintended control commands. The user needs to activate the specific mode again, if new control commands are to be send from the external device, proofing, that the user is present and attending the cooking process. Therewith the user confirms and acknowledge, that the external device sends control commands to the cooking hob and he attends the cooking process, being responsible for the actions performed by the cooking hob in the same way, as he would control the cooking hob by the user interface of the cooking hob.

The different mode states of the cooking hob - manual operation, operation via external mobile device, specific mode active, and specific mode not active - are indicated to the user on the cooking hob, preferably on the user interface. This can be, but is not limited to, indicated by one light, preferably by an illuminated icon, even more preferred by an illuminated touch button. Possible realizations are by using different light strength, for example not illuminated, half illuminated, and full illuminated, and/or by different blinking speeds, for example not blinking, fast blinking, and slow blinking.

In another embodiment of the invention, the specific mode having a time interval of being active of more than 1 min, but maximal 15 min, in which the connected external device can send control commands to the control unit. In this embodiment an additional confirmation on the cooking hob by the user to execute the command is required after the control commands are received. Again, interactions by the user on the cooking hob, as for example manually changing the power level on the hob of the same cooking zone, or a direct specific mode deactivation button, which is active in the specific mode, or the connection termination, preferably already a weak connection signal strength, are deactivating the specific mode.

In another embodiment of the invention, an interaction by the user on the external mobile device is needed, after the user activated the specific mode on the user interface of the cooking hob. Therefore, it can be ensured, that the user checks the control commands on the mobile device, which are send to the cooking hob, and actively confirms the sending of the control commands on the external mobile device before sending to the cooking hob. This interaction on the external mobile device needs to be within the time interval before the specific mode gets deactivated or otherwise deactivated in a way previously mentioned. After the control command was send to the control unit of the cooking hob, the specific mode gets immediately deactivated. To increase the user experience, the external mobile device visually shows, if the specific mode is active or not. This, for example but not limited to, can be realized by disabling the confirm button on the external mobile device, which can be indicated by a grey button, when the specific mode is deactivated, while enabling the confirm button, which can be indicated by a coloured button, when the specific mode is active.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the specific mode to receive external control commands, is just available, if a connection is already established between the communication unit and the external device. To establish a connection for the first time, the communication unit and the external device need to be paired. The process can be realized in different manner as known from the state of the art and is not further described. After the external device is connected to the communication unit, the communication unit can remember the external device, so that the process of pairing is not needed again. In one possible embodiment, the communication unit is just able to be paired with one external device, in another embodiment, the communication unit is able to remember multiple external devices.

To reduce the possibility of receiving wrong control commands, it is preferred to have at any time only one external device, which can send control commands, connected to the control unit. Still, multiple external devices can be connected to the communication unit to communicate information with the control unit, but the control unit will just accept commands by one external device, until another external device is selected by the user to be used to send control commands. The selection of a new external device for sending control commands can be realized by request of the user on the user interface, or when the connection to the first external device is terminated and the user uses a new external device requesting the connection to the cooking hob for sending control commands.

It is possible, that after each start of the cooking hob, the cooking hob needs to be set into a remote connection mode via the user interface, in order to connect a previously paired external device. Another option is, that the remote connection mode is activated once and gets activated automatically after turning on the cooking hob, even if the cooking hob was turned off in between. In this case, the user needs to deactivate the remote connection mode, which keeps it deactivated, until the next activation.

When the remote connection mode is active, the cooking hob can be set into the specific mode to receive control commands. According to the method of this invention the steps as described in the following example are required in order to send a control command from a external device. Provided is the situation, that the cooking hob is turned on, the remote connection mode is activated and an external device was previously successfully paired: user activates external device; external device and communication unit of the cooking hob establish connection between each other; user activates specific mode to receive external control commands; user sends control command from the external device; control unit executes control command in case, the specific mode was not deactivated in the meanwhile and no other error occurred. After the control command was received, the specific mode is deactivated. If the connection between the external device and communication unit continues, the steps can be repeated without the first two steps of activating the external device and establishing the connection

In a further embodiment of the invention, the user interface is showing the changes, which will be applied according to the received control commands. This is improving the usability and reducing the possibility of processing wrong control commands. The user gets to option to see on the cooking hob, what will be processed. Preferably, the changes are displayed before they are executed, possible with a time delay of 1 to 10 seconds before they are executed. Therefore, the user has the option to cancel the control commands, before they are executed, or shortly after they are executed to reduce the chance of possible damages. This can be realized with a reset button to cancel the last received command. Further the reset button could reduce the power level or turn off one or more cooking zones to put the cooking hob in a save state until the user continues the usage. In addition, it is possible to offer a confirmation button to the user, so that the control commands are directly executed, not needed to wait the time delay of 1 to 10 seconds.

In another further embodiment of the invention, the specific mode can be also activated by defined user interactions on the cooking hob, not necessarily by pressing a button on the user interface. This interaction might be placing a cooking vessel on the cooking zone, as requested by cooking instructions on the external device. Here for cooking vessel detection technologies, known from the state of the art and not further described, are used. Another interaction can be detected by cooking vessels including sensors, as for example a movement sensor, detecting a movement of the cooking vessel by the user. Further sensors could be a gesture sensor, presence sensor, or image sensor, possibly placed inside or above the cooking hob. Each of the sensors, just one of it or in combination, can detect an interaction and the presence of the user in front of the cooking hob, allowing the specific mode to be activated while an external device is connected. If the user follows in such case for example a step-by-step recipe instruction, the user experience can be improved by reducing the additional interaction with the user interface, if already an interaction on the cooking hob itself is detected.

In one example embodiment, the user is following a guided cooking recipe or step-by-step instructions. As the external device in this case is the main interaction device with the user, via the user gets the instructions and can adjust settings, for example user preferences or changing the amount of food to be cooked for different amount of people, the control commands are synchronized between the cooking hob, external device and user actions. Because it is required, that the user attends the cooking process at all time, the user needs to prove his presence by activating the specific mode for each time, in one of the previously described ways, a new control command is required to be sent from the external device to the cooking hob. The user follows, for example, cooking instructions and is requested to interact with the food, for example adding food or turning around a steak, and needs to confirm his interaction on the external device so that the external device may send new control commands to the control unit. In this case the confirmation on the external device is just available, while the specific mode is active.

In a further embodiment of the previous described example, the steps of a recipe or step-by-step instructions, including control commands to perform the task, are stored on the cooking device. In this case, the user sends control commands from the external device with the information of, for example, continuing to the next step. Also, the user can adjust parameters of the pre-stored recipe or step-by-step instruction via the external device. Therefore, it is possible, that the control unit executes multiple steps, without a further confirmation of the user on the cooking hob or via the external device. It may also be possible, that the user can confirm to continue to the next step via interaction on the cooking hob, for example by pressing a button on the user interface. In any case, if a user wants to send a control command from the external device, he needs to confirm his presence according to the method of this invention.

In another example embodiment, the user uses voice commands to input control commands. Hereby the user inputs control commands via a voice command processing device, also known as smart speaker. This voice command processing device can be integrated into the appliance or is realized as an external device. In this embodiment, it is even more preferred, that the control commands are displayed on the cooking hob and the user gets the opportunity to cancel the execution of the control commands as described before, because there is a chance of a wrongly processed voice input. Cancelling of the execution can be also again by voice command to increase the user experience.

It is the object of the present invention to create a method to control a cooking device which ensures reliable and safely remote control of the cooking device.

According to the present invention, the object as set above is solved by features set forth in the characterising part of claim 1. Detail of the invention is disclosed in respective subclaims.

The invention is further described in detail by way of non-limiting embodiment, and with a reference to the accompanying drawings, where

FIG. 1 shows a cooking device and environment to control the cooking device in schematic form as an example according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a depiction of an exemplary procedure for the method of controlling the cooking device; Fog. 3 shows a schematic view of an exemplary user interface of the cooking device.

The invention is further described in the embodiment of a cooking device as a cooking hob. Parts of the cooking hob 1 are a user interface 2, a control unit 3 connected to the user interface 2 and able to control each of the heating areas 15 to heat up a cooking vessel 7, and a communication unit 4 to connect one or more devices (5, 13, 14, 16) with the control unit 3. The communication unit 4 connects wirelessly 11 to one or more external devices 5, wherein one external device 5 a is the main external device to send control commands 12 to the control unit 3. In a further embodiment of the example, the connection 11 is established over the internet with a possible server in between. The user 6 of the cooking hob is interacting 9 with the external device 5 a to send control commands 12 via the wireless connection 11 to the control unit 3. The user 6 also interacts 8 with the user interface 2. Other external devices 5 b-d are optional and not required for the method according to this invention. It shall show the opportunity, that the communication unit 4 is not limited to connect wirelessly to just one external device in the same time. The communication unit 4 is also able to connect to other devices wirelessly or wired, which can be part of the cooking hob 1, for example a presence sensor 16, or part of a cooking vessel 7, for example a sensor unit 13 to detect the temperature and/or a movement of the cooking vessel 7, or a sensor unit 14 as part of any other cooking accessories or equipment, for example a hood (not displayed), wherein the sensor unit 14 may be a imaging sensor, a gesture sensor and/or a sound sensor. It is possible, that the control unit 3 and the communication unit 4 are implemented as separate electronic elements connected via a communication interface, or as a combined electronics element having shared electronic components.

The cooking hob 1 is designed to prepare food. For this the cooking vessel 7 and its content is heated up by the heating area 15 d. The heating area 15 d is controlled by the control unit 3. The user 6 can input control commands 12 via the user interface 2 or via the external device 5 a. In order to allow the external device 5 a to send control commands 12 to the control unit 3, the user 6 needs to set the cooking hob 1 into a specific mode by interaction 8 with the cooking hob. This interaction 8 may be pressing a specific button on the user interface 2 or by interacting with the cooking vessel 7, wherein the movement is detected by the sensor unit 13, or by placing the cooking vessel 7 on the heating area 15 d having a pot detection function. It is required, that in this second and third case, the control command 12 received by the external device 5 a is intended for the heating area 15 d and for the cooking vessel 7.

After the activation of the specific mode by the user 6, a timer is started. If the control command is not received within the defined time interval, the specific mode is deactivated and the user 6 is required to activate the specific mode again in order to send a control command 12 via the external device 5 a. While the specific mode is active and inside the defined time interval, the user 6 can deactivate the specific mode via the user interface 2. In a further implementation of the example it is also possible, that any interaction with the user interface 2 is deactivating the specific mode. While the specific mode is active and inside the defined time interval, the specific mode is also deactivated, in case the communication between the external device 5 a and the communication unit 4 is terminated. In a further implementation of the example the communication unit 4 is monitoring the signal strength and in case of the signal strength getting weaker, which could indicate the user 6 is moving away with the external device 5 a from the cooking hob 1, the specific mode is deactivated too.

After a control command 12 is received by the external device while the specific mode is active, the control unit 3 is executing the control command 12. In the same time, the specific mode is deactivated in order to block further control commands to be received without the user 6 is actively allowing the control unit 3 to receive control commands by the external device 5 a by activating the specific mode again.

In FIG. 2 a simplified procedure implementation example of the method according to this invention is displayed. The starting point 17 presuppose to cooking hob to be turned on and functional, this means in no other state which is not for the common usage. In this point it is also provided, that an external device was previously already successfully paired with the communication unit, a process, which can be realized in different ways of implementation according to the known technologies and therefore not further described. The point 17 provides a state, wherein the user can use the cooking hob in a common way, as for example by control via the user interface, and expects the cooking hob to be not in a remote communication mode. The following situations will put the cooking hob directly into the state of point 17: Stop of the remote communication mode, if it was active; turning on the cooking hob, when it was in a stand-by mode or similar; restarting the cooking hob; any kind of error occurs.

If the cooking hob is in point 17, the user 6 can put the cooking hob 1 into a remote communication mode 18, which can be realized, for example, by pressing a button on the user interface 2 of the cooking hob 1. In the state 19 the communication unit 4 will establish a connection to an external device 5, which was already paired and is available for connection. After the connection was successfully established, the control unit 3 is in the state 20 of waiting for the user 6 to activate the specific mode to allow to control unit 3 to receive control commands from the connected external device 5. In the case, that there is no external device to be connected to or no external device was previously paired, the cooking hob 1 will go back into the state 17. When the user 6 is activating the specific mode in the state 20, a timer is started and the control unit 3 is waiting in state 21 to receive a control command via the communication unit 4 by the connected external device 5. After the control command was received, the control unit 3 will execute the control command in state 22 and the specific mode is directly deactivated 23, so that the cooking hob 1 will go into state 20 again. In the state 21, while the control unit 3 is awaiting to receive a control command, the following situations can deactivate 23 the specific mode and return the cooking hob 1 into state 20, before a control command was received by the control unit 3: the timeout of the timer, indicating that the time interval, in which a control command is to be received, was exceed; the user 6 directly cancelled the specific mode via the user interface 2, possibly also by performing any other interaction with the user interface 2; the signal strength of the connection between the communication unit 4 and the connected external device 5 is getting weak, which could result when the user 6 is moving away from the cooking hob 1 with the external device 5. In any of the states 20, 21, and 22, if the connection between the communication unit 4 and the connected external device 5 is terminated, the specific mode is deactivated 24, if it was active, and the cooking hob 1 goes into state 19.

The FIG. 3 shows a possible schematic of an user interface 2. The user interface 2 exemplary comprises multiple elements, which may be buttons 25, slide button 26, numeric display 27, and indication segment 28. The input elements 25 and 26 may be realized by physical elements to be moved or pressed, or by elements to be touch. They may comprise an indication light and/or an icon, possibly they are realized by illuminated icons. The numeric display 27 may be realized by multiple illuminated elements, to display one or more numbers and/or letters. The indication segment 28 may be multiple lights in a row as one segment or multiple separate segments. The user interface 2 may also be realized as a TFT or LCD display, possibly comprising a touch area input.

The buttons 25 and slide button 26 are intended for user inputs 8. The user 6 can turn on and off the cooking hob 1 by pressing the button 25 a. When the cooking hob 1 is turned on, the user 6 can activate with a button 25 b the remote connection mode to connect an external device 5. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the example, the remote connection mode will be activated automatically when turning on the cooking hob 1, when it was previously already activated. In this case, the remote connection mode needs to be deactivated by the user 6 via the user interface, possibly by long pressing the button 25 b. In another embodiment, the remote connection mode is deactivated each time, the cooking hob 1 is turned off. If the user 6 wants to send a control command from the external device 5, he needs to press button 25 c before to activate the specific mode. The time, in which the specific mode is active, can be indicated by lightning up the button 25 c. Also possible is, that the remaining time of the time interval, in which the specific mode is active, can be shown on the indication segment 28 or the numeric display 27 b. The button 25 d can be used whether to cancel the specific mode while active, or to cancel the control command to be executed after it was sent by the external device 5 to the control unit 3. It is possible to show the changing power level of the cooking zone according to the received control command on the numeric display 27 a and count down a short timer, possibly 5 seconds, in which the user 6 has time to cancel the execution with pressing the button 25 d, while the timer is indicated on the indication segment 28. 

1. A method to control a cooking device, wherein the cooking device comprises a control unit to perform a task on the cooking device by executing control commands, a communication unit, to wirelessly connect to an external device to establish a communication between the mobile device and the control unit, wherein the-a user is able to send control commands via the external device to the control unit of the cooking device, wherein the user can send control commands via the external device only after the user activates a specific mode on the cooking appliance to allow the receiving of an external control command, wherein said mode is deactivated after receiving the external control command, and that said mode is deactivated without receiving the external control command if a time limit passes, or by an interaction of the user on a user interface of the cooking device.
 2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: a) activating the specific mode by the user, allowing the external device to send external control commands to the control unit of the cooking device, b) sending said external control command from the external device to the control unit, c) self-deactivation of the specific mode, and d) executing by the control unit said external control command.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific mode is deactivated after an external control command was received or latest after a time interval, with a value between 5 seconds and 20 seconds.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein remaining time of the time interval is displayed on the user interface of the cooking device and/or on the external device.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific mode is deactivated by an interaction of the user on the user interface of the cooking device, or by the connection being terminated between the external device and the communication unit.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific mode is available, if a connection is already established between the communication unit and the external device.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a changing power level of the cooking zone according to the received external control command is shown on the user interface of the cooking device.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the received external control command is executed, a short time is count down in which the user has time to cancel the execution.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific mode can also be activated by one or more defined user interactions on a cooking hob.
 10. The method according to claim 9, comprising the use of a sensor wherein said sensor is a gesture sensor, a presence sensor, a motion sensor, or an image sensor.
 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user uses voice commands to input the external control commands.
 12. A cooking device for carrying out a method according to claim
 1. 13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said user interaction(s) is/are selected from placing a cooking vessel, or detecting a movement by means of a sensor. 